Paper-feed mechanism.



. Patented June l7 l902.' F. M. PETERS & H. H. HUNGERFURD. I

, .PAPER FEED'MEGHANISM.

Ap lication filed July 12, 1901.

5 Sheets-Sheet I.

' (No Model.)

5 Sheets- Sheet 2.

4 Patented lune l7, I902;-

PAPEB FEED MECHANISM.

" (Applicv tion med July '12, 1901.)

F, m, PETE-BS & 3.11. 'HUNG EBFUBDr (No Modal.)

Tu: "cam PETERS co. PHOTD-LIYHQ. wnsumcrou. n c..

No. 702,673. I 'Pa tented lune l7, i902. F. m. PETERS & H.- ufnunaanronn.

PAPER FEED MECHANISM.

(Application filed. July 12, 1901.) (No Model.) 5 sheets sheet 3.

an; NORRIS PETERS (20., mom-Luke WASHINGTON, o. c,

Patented June I7, 1902." F. M. PETERS &. H; H. HUNGERFOBD. PAPER FEED MECHANISM.

A ucmdn med July 12, 1901.

(Nu Model.)

5 Shuts-Sho n 4.

Patented lune l7; I902.

' F. M. PETERS & H. H. HUNGEREURDQ PAPEB FEED MECHANISM.

(Application filed m 12, 1901 (No Model.) 5.8heets-Sheet 5.

I W-fil 1: 4 4 s a I 7 LQJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. A.

FRANK M. PETERS AND HENRY H. HUN GERFORD, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID I-IUNGERFORD ASSIGNOR TO SAID PETERS.

PAPER-FEED MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,673, dated June 17, 1902.

the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Feed Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in IO the mechanism used for feeding sheets of paper to wrapping-machines, printing-presses, and similar machines in which sheets of paper of uniform size are employed or operated upon for various purposes, and more specifically our inventionhas to do with that type or class of paper-feed devices in which a stack of sheets cut to a uniform size is carried on a vertically-movable carrier, the individual sheets being automatically fed forward "one after another from the top of the stack by a continuously rotating feed roll operating thereabove, which roll is equipped with a friction-surface disposed lengthwise thereof and covering a portion of the cylindrical surface of the roll and adapted by the continuous rotation of the latter to intermittently engage successive sheets of paper on the top of the stack and feed the same forward to a pair of gripping-rolls or other gripping mechanism constituting the receiving end of the machine. Devices of this general character have heretofore been in comparatively common use in connection with printing-presses, wrapping-machines, and the'like; but a common fault heretofore met with in the practical operation of such mechanisms has resided in the difficulty of clearly separating the topmost sheet of the stack from those lying immediately thereunder, so as to insure the 40 feeding forward of the sheets one at a time.

It is the object of the present invention to eifect an improvement in this particular respect in mechanisms of this character; and to this end our invention, generally stated,

resides in an automatic mechanism whereby the top sheet of the stack is loosened and separated from the next adjacent sheet immediately before the forward feeding of the same into the machine takes place. The

principal elements of the mechanism which we have devised for this purpose consist of a ;ing and presser fingers.

Serial No. 67,961. (No model.)

pair of fingers disposed above and at opposite sides of the stack, and preferably near the rear end thereof, and operating to frictionally engage the upper surface of the top 5 5' sheet laterally thereof and carry the edges of the same inwardly toward each other, thereby producing a slight upward bend or curl of the sheet, whereby it is effectively separated from the companion sheet lying next there- 6o beneath.

The mechanism embodying our present invention further comprises, in combination with the separating-fingers above referred to,

certain automatic holding devices for perin the appended claims.

Our invention in a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a paper-feed mechanism havi'ng our improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same mechanism as seen from the opposite side thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4' is a top plan View. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on line 5 5 of Fig. i, illustrating the action and cooperation of the separat- Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with certain parts omitted, illustrating a modification of the means employed for actuating the presser-fingers. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a part of the modified mechanism shown in Fig. 6 viewed from the opposite side. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view on line 8 8 of Fig. 4, showing the inner side of one of the presser-fingers and its upwardlyturned end; and Fig. 9 is a front detail of the presser-finger viewed in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 8.

As hereinabove stated, the mechanism to which our present improvements relate is in tended to be applied at the receiving end of any suitable 'machine in connection with which it is adapted to cooperate.

ing end of such machine is indicated at 6 in the drawings.

The receiv- I00 The numeral 7 designates as an entirety a suitable skeleton frame of generally rectangular form, which frame may be suitably secured to the receiving end 6 of the machine by bolts or otherwise, as indicated at 8 and'9.

Within the frame 7 and suitably guided by the four corner-posts thereof is a verticallymovable carrier, the same comprising in its essential features a horizontal top plate 10, on which the stack of paper is adapted to rest, as shown in Fig. 1, and a vertical support secured to the under side of said plate 10, said support in the form shown comprising a U-shaped frame 11, (see Fig. 3,) having the slide-rods 11 disposed centrally of the opposite sides of the plate 10, and a vertical post 12 in the nature of a feed-screw, on the upper end of which the frame 11 is secured.

Extending across the top of the frame 7, on opposite sides thereof, are a pair of parallel horizontally -disposed supporting members 13 and 14, which latter carry at points approximately centrally thereof a pair of vertically-slotted journal-supports 15 and 16, respectively, in which latter are contained a pair of spring-pressed journal-bearing blocks 17 and 18, respectively, these latter carrying the spindle 19 of a horizontal feed-roll 20, which latter thus occupies a position transversely of and directly above the stack of papers carried by the carrier-plate 10, all as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This roll 20, as best shown in Fig. 4, is a plain cylindrical roll of a length somewhat less than the width of the underlying stack upon which it operates and has formed on orapplied to its cylindrical surface for the full length thereof and throughout a fractional portion of the circumference thereof a friction-surface, (desig nated by 20%) the same comprising astrip or pad of suitable friction material, preferably india-rubber.

21 22 indicate apair of usual gripping-rolls journaled in the frame 7 at an appropriate location relatively to the feed-roll 20 and the receiving end of the machine in which paper is to be operated upon; but as such grippingrolls are common and well understood in this relation and form no part of our present invention the same need not be more particularly described.

The feed-roll 20 is designed to have a continuous rotation in one direction, which may be imparted from a driven shaft 23 through the following mechanism: A sprocket-wheel 24 on said shaft 23 drives a small sprocket 25 on one end of the lower gripping-roll 22 through a sprocket chain 26. A small sprocket 27 on the opposite end of said lower gripping-roll drives, through a sprocket-chain 28, a large sprocket 29, fast on a short shaft 30, which latter is rotatably journaled in a suitable bearing 31, carried by the horizontal support 14. A gear 32, fast on shaft 30,

meshes with a similar gear 33, fast on the spindle 19, to which the feed-roll 20 is splined orotherwise secured. The shaft 23 may itself be driven by a sprocket 34 from the main power-shaft of the machine or other suitable source of power.

35 and 36 designate a pair of shafts, which are disposed in directions at right angles to the spindle 19 and at their ends are rotatably supported in a pair of hangers 37 38, respectively, which latter are pivotally mounted at their inner ends upon the spindle 19 at points intermediate the ends of the feed-roll 20 and the proximate journal-supports 15 and 16, respectively. These shafts 35 and 36 are adapted to be driven continuously in opposite directions through the agency of bevel-gears 39 and 40, fast on the inner ends of said shafts, respectively, which bevel-gears engage corresponding bevel-gears 41 and 42, fast on the spindle 19. At suitable points on the shafts 35 and 36 are keyed a pair of what we term separating-fingers 43 44, said fingers overlying approximately the rear edge of the stack of papers carried on the plate 10, each of said fingers being provided at its outer or free end with a friction device, preferably in the nature of a rubber tip 45. The shafts 35 and 36 near their outer ends overlie and rest upon a transverse rod 46, except when the fingers 43 44 are buckling the underlying sheet of paper, which rod is rotatably supported in a pair of upstanding brackets 47 and 48, secured to the upper ends of the rear corner-posts of the frame 7, a pair of weights 49 and 50, slidably keyed on the free ends of the shafts 35 and 36, respectively, together with the gravitation efiect of the shafts themselves, providing a downward pressure of the fingers 43 and 44 upon the top sheet of the underlying stack sufficient to afford the requisite friction between said parts to enable the fingers to properly perform their functions upon and with reference to the successive sheets of paper, all as hereinafter more particularlyset forth.

Any desired or known means may be employed for setting the carrier 10 at any suitable height in the frame 7 at the commencement of work and for effecting the automatic upward feed of the same as the sheets of paper carried thereby are successively withdrawn from the stack. For the former purpose we have herein shown the vertical slide members 11 of the U-frame 11 as formed with racks 51 52, which latter are engaged by pinions 53 and 54-, respectively, keyed on a transverse horizontal shaft 55, rotatably supported in hangers 56 57, pendent from the under side of the frame 7, one end of which shaft is squared, as at 58, to receive a crank-arm or equivalent operating device.

At 59, 60, 61, and 62 are shown certain elements of a mechanism for raising the stack of paper and interrupting the upward feed thereof by the feed-screw 12; but as this mechanism is old and forms no part of our present invention further description and illustration of the same is unnecessary.

In order that the sheets of paper maybe fed forward successively one at a time, it is of course necessary that when the top sheet is engaged by the feed-roller some means be provided for engaging and holding back the remaining sheets of the stack to prevent one or binding or clamping them together at all timesexcept when the top sheet is being separated from the next underlying sheet preparatory to being fed forward, at which time the downward pressure of the fingers is relieved. These presser-fingers 63 and 64have their free ends preferably extended inwardly slightly and turned upwardly, as shown at 64 in the detail views Figs. 8 and 9, thereby presenting convex under surfaces curved in a direction transverselyof the underlying stack of papers, and the convex engaging surfaces of said fingers are preferably roughened or corrugated, as indicated at 64 in Figs. 8 and 9, in order to afford said fingers a more effective hold on the stack. The rod 46 is oscillated, so as to actuate the presser-fingers 63 and 64 in properly-timed relation to the other elements of the mechanism, by means of a camdisk 65, fast on the stub-shaft30, the periphcry of said disk engaging a roller 66, mounted in one end of a lever 67, which latter is pivoted at a point 68 intermediate its length to the horizontal supporting member 14 of the frame 7. The opposite extremity of the lever 67 carries an adjustable contact-point in the nature of a vertically-disposedset-screw 69, the upper end of which is adapted to engage and operate a short rearwardly-extendin g arm 7 O, keyed on the extremity of the rod 46. In order that the lever 67 may actuate the rod 46 and the fingers 63 and 64 carried thereby in an elastic or yielding manner, there is pref-' erably interposed between the contact device 69 and the arm a spring 71, whereby the force exerted by the lever 67 upon the presserfingers 63 and 64 through the connections described is gradually and elastically applied and withdrawn. It will be observed that the disk 65 is circular throughout the greater portion of its periphery, but has a depression 7 2 formed therein for a short distance, whereby the disk is caused to have a cam action on the contacting end of'lever 67. The action of the disk 65 upon the presser-fingers63 and 64 through the connections described is such as to maintain said fingers in theirdepressed and clamping position upon and relatively to the rear edge portion of the stack of papers throughout the engagement of all except the depressed p'ortion of the periphery of the disk 65 with the roller 66.

The operation of our improved paper-feed mechanism as hereinabove described is as follows: Power being applied to the driven shaft 23, the gripping-rolls 21 22, the feed-roll 20, and the shafts 35 and 3 6 are all continuously rotated in properly-timed relation to each other through the driving connections hereinabove described' It will'be obvious that once during each complete rotationof the feed-roll 20 its friction-surface '20 will" engage and feed forward to the gripping-rolls the uppermost sheet of-the stack lying therebeneath on carrier 10. The shafts'35 and 36 are so geared as to rotate in opposite directions to each other and make a complete revolution synchronously with each complete revolution of the feed-roll 20, and the separating-fingers 43 and'44 are so set on their respective shafts 35 and 36 that'their tips 45 will'en gage and Wipe over the top of the stack- ,of papers just prior to the engagement of the friction-surface 2O therewith. Such action of the fingers 43 and 44 tends to curlup the opposite side portions of the rear ends of the top sheet, as indicated, and in order that the separating-fingers may thus operate upon the top sheet the downward pressure of the presser-fingers 63 and 64 upon said sheet is relieved simultaneously with the engagement of the separating-fingers therewith by reason of the roller 66 of lever 67 droppinginto the depression 72 of the cam-disk 65, whereby the tension exerted by spring 71 is temporarily withdrawn. As soon, however, as the separat-' ing-fingers have thus withdrawn the rear corner portions of the top sheet from above the next underlying sheet the presser-fingers 63 and 64 are immediately carried downwardly into binding engagement with the rear corners of said next underlying sheet, thereby securelyclamping not only that sheet, but also all the underlying sheets of the stack, against any tendency, through frictional contact with the top sheet thus separated, to feed forward with said top sheet. In thisoperation the upwardly-curved convex inner'e'nds of the I-IO presser fingers serve in case the separating fingers should curl up not only the top sheet,

but also one or more of the next underlying,

sheets, to readily allow said underlying sheet or sheets to slip back into proper position under said presser-fingers to lie and befheld there until their turn to be fed forward ar-- rives. By the described means the feed-roll,

through the engagement of its friction-sun" face'20 with the top sheet, moves the latter forward a sufficient distance to carry its front edge between the gripping-rolls or equivalent device, whereby the top sheet is completely withdrawn from the stack and cari'ied'forward into the machine by the time the feedroll 20 and the separating-fingers have completed another rotation and are ready'to'o'pcrate in the manner already described uponthe next sheet of the stack, which has thus become the top sheet. p

The mechanism as hereinabove'described has been found in practice to operate reliably and satisfactorily; but we have found that the separation of the rear corners of the top sheet from the next underlying companion sheet by the separating-fingers 43 and 44 may be facilitated by the employment of suitable holding devices overlying the rear edge of the stack and disposed at intervals from the separatingfingers best suited to form a stop or abutment for the upwardly-curled portion of the sheet, whereby the top sheet is more effectively separated and the fingers are less liable to curl up the corners of two or more sheets at the same time. For this purpose we may employ clips 73 and 74, the same being merely a pair of angle-plates secured by their vertical members to the rear top horizontal member of the frame 7 and having their horizontal portions overlying and resting upon the rear edge of the top sheet of the stack.

An important feature of our invention resides in the fact that the shafts 35 and 36, car rying the separating'fingers l3 and 44, are independentlyjournaled and geared to the spindle of the feed-roll, whereby they are capable of independent automatic vertical adj ustment to accommodate the separating-fingers to inequalities in the heights of the opposite sides of the paper stack.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modification of the means already described for actuating the presser-fingers. In this construction the cam-disk instead of having a depression formed in its periphery, as in the construction already described, is provided with a cam projection 72. The arm which is keyed to the adjacent end of rod 46, instead of extending rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, is made to extend inwardly toward the camdisk and is adapted to be engaged and lifted by the adjustable contact-pin 69, carried in the underlying extremity of a lever 67,which is pivoted intermediate its ends at 68" and at its opposite extremity carries a roller 66, which engages the periphery of the cam-disk 65. On the opposite end of the rod 46, Fig. 7, is another inwardly-extending arm 75, to the outer end of which is secured one end of a tensile spring 76, the lower end of the spring being secured at 77 to the frame 7.

By the foregoing construction it will be seen that instead of maintaining the clamping effect of the presser-fingers through the engagement of the cam-disk 65 with the lever 67 and permitting the release of the presser-fingers by the engagement of the depression 72 of the cam-disk with said lever the said presser-fingers are normally maintained in clamping contact with the stack by means of the spring 76 and arm 75, while the cam projection 72" of the cam-disk 65, engaging the lever 67, serves, through the connections described, to positively raise said fingers against the action of the spring 76 at the proper time and through the interval required for the withdrawal of the edges of the top sheet by means of the separating-fingers.

The modified construction last described is obviously the full mechanical equivalent of the construction as described and shown in Fig. 2, and we wish it to be understood that the employment of either is optional within the lines and scope of our invention;

We claim as our invention-- 1. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a vertically movable carrier adapted to support a stack of sheets of paper, of a feed-roll journaled transversely thereabove and adapted to frictionally engage and feed forward the sheets of the stack successively at each rotation thereof, of continuously-rotating separating devices automatically operating to withdraw the opposite side edge portions of the successive top sheets from the next underlying sheet immediately prior to the engagement of the feed-roll therewith, and holding devices automatically operated immediately after the operation of the separating devices to hold the remaining sheets of the stack against displacement during the feeding forward of the top sheet, substantially as described.

2. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a suitable frame and a vertically movable carrier plate guided therein and adapted to support a stack of sheets of paper, of a feed'roll journaled in the upper portion of said frame transversely thereof and directly above said stack of paper, said roll being provided with a friction-surface on its periphery whereby it is adapted to engage and feed forward the top sheet of the stack at each rotation thereof, a pair of separatingfingers supported above the rear edge portions of the stack, means for continuously rotating said fingers driven from the feed-roll whereby the free ends of said fingers are caused during the lower portion of their rotary travel to wipe over the upper face of the stack and frictionally carry the opposite side edge portions of the top sheet inwardly toward each other, and automatically-operated clamping-fingers adapted to bear upon and hold the remaining sheets of the stack while the top sheet is being fed forward, substantially as described.

3. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a suitable frame and a verticallymovable carrier plate guided therein and adapted to support a stack of sheets of paper, of a feed-roll journaled transversely across the top of said frame, a pair of rearwardlyextending shafts geared to the spindle of said feed-roll and adapted to rotate synchronously therewith, a pair of separating-fingers fixed 011 said last-named shafts and at their free ends adapted to frictionally engage the top sheet of the stack simultaneously and carry its opposite side edge portions inwardly, thus separating them from the next underlying sheet, and a pair of holding-fingers through which a clamping pressure is normally maintained on the rear margin of the stack, and means for relieving such pressure during the interval when the separating-fingers are performing their function, substantially as de- Q scribed.

4. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a suitable frame and' a movable carrier-plate guided therein and adapted to support the stack of sheets of paper, of a spring-pressed feed-roll journaled horizontally across the top portion thereof, a pair of shafts extending rearwardly of and at right angles to the feed-roll and independently geared at their inner ends to the spindle of said feed-roll,a pair of separating-fingers fixed on said last-named shafts and rotating synchronously but in a plane at right angles to that of the feed-roll, and serving, through frictional'engagement with the top sheet,'laterally thereof, to separate the side edge portions thereof from the next underlying sheet, an oscillatory rod supported at the rear'upper end of the frame parallel withthe feed-roll, a pair of clamping-fingers fixed on said rod 1 and operating upon the stack at points outside the points of contact of the separatingfingers upon the stack and suitably-timed driving connections whereby said feed-roll, separating-fingers, and clamping-fingers are adapted to cooperate to effect the forward feeding of the sheets successively from the top of the stack, substantially as described.

5. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a suitable frame of a verticallymovable carrier guided therein and adapted to support a stack of sheets of paper thereon, a feed-roll transversely journaled across the top of said frame, a pair of hangers journaled on the spindle of said feed-roll, a pair of rearwardly-extending shafts journaled in said hangers at right angles to the feed-roll and capable of independent automatic vertical adjustment, intermeshing driving-gears on said last-named shafts and the spindle of the feed-roll, an oscillatory rod journaled in the upper rear port-ion of the frame upon which rod the free ends of said shafts are supported, a pair of separating-fingers fixed on said shafts, a pair of adjustable counterweights carried on the free ends of said shafts, a pair of clamping-fingers keyed on said rod, and mechanism for actuating said parts in properly-timed order to first separate the side marginal portions of the top sheet from the next underlying sheet and then feed the same forward while the remaining sheets of the stack are securely clamped in place upon the carrier, substantially as described.

6. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a suitable frame and a verticallymovable paper-carrier guided therein and adapted to support a stackof sheets of paper, of a feed-roll journaled horizontally above the upper portion of said frame, an oscillatory rod journaled across the upper rear portion of said frame parallel with the feed-roll, a pair of hangers journaled on the spindle of said feed-roll, a pair of shafts at one end journaled in said hangers and geared to the spindle of the feed-roll and extending rearwardly of and at right angles to the latter and having their rear ends suitably counterweighted and overlying said rod, a pair-of separatingfingers fixed on said shafts and at their free ends frictionally engaging the side marginal portions of the top sheet in directions at right angles to the direction of the feed, apair of clamping-fingers keyed on said rod and overlying the rear edge of the stack, elastic means operating upon said rod whereby said clampin g-fingers are caused to clamp and hold the rear portion of the stack, and other positivelydriven connections between the spindle of the feed-roll and said rod whereby said clampingfingers are raised when the separating-fingers are operative to withdraw the side edge portions of the top sheet from contact with the corresponding portions of the underlying sheet preparatory to the feeding forward of the top sheet, substantially as'd'escribed.

7. In a paper-feed mechanism, the combination with a suitable frame and a verticallymovable paper-carrier guided therein and adapted tosupport a stack of sheets of paper,

of a feed-roll journaled horizontally above the upper portion of said frame, an oscillatory rod journaled across the upper rear portion of said frame'parallel with the feed-roll,'a pair of hangers journaled on the spindle of said feed-roll, a pairof shafts at one end independently journaled in said hangers and geared to the spindle of the feed-roll and extending rearwardly of and at right angles to the latter'and at their rear ends overlying said rod, a pair of separating-fingers fixed on said shafts and at their free ends frictionally engaging the side marginal portions of the top sheet in directions at right angles to the direction of the feed, a pair'of clamping-fingers keyed on said rod and overlying the rear edge of the stack, arms on the opposite ends of said oscillatory rod, a spring between the outer end of one of said arms and a stationary point on the frame andtending to depress said clamping-fingers, a disk geared to the spindle of the feed-roll and'having a-caln projection on its periphery, and a lever pi-voted on the frame and having one end engag-' ing the periphery of said cam-disk, andits other end adapted to engage the other 'arm of the oscillatory rod to actuate the latter against the tension of the said spring and thereby raise the clamping-fingers, substantially as described. a

'8. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with the paper-carrier, the feed-roll and the laterally-operating separating-fingers serving to curl upwardly and inwardly the opposite side margins of successive sheets, of a pair of oscillatory clamping-fingers adapted to overlie the rear margin of the paper-carrier and having their free ends formed with convex engaging surfaces curved in a direction transversely of the carrier, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

9. In a mechanism of the character do IIO scribed, the combination with the paper-carcurved in a direction transversely of the car- 10 rier, the feed-roll and the laterally operating rier, such convex engaging surfaces of the separating-fingers serving to curl upwardly fingers being corrugated or roughened, suband inwardly the opposite side margins of stantially as and for the purpose described.

successive sheets, of a pair of oscillatory FRANK M. PETERS. clamping-fingers adapted to overlie the rear HENRY H. IIUNGERFORD. margin of the paper-carrier and having their WVitnesses:

free ends turned inwardly and upwardly s0 SAMUEL N. POND,

as to provide convex engaging surfaces FREDERICK O. GOODWIN. 

